Rangers 16, Twins 4: Twins Embarassed at Home Against Weak-Hitting Rangers

[Patzky]

21 minutes ago, TwinsDr2021 said:

Two reactions to this, so there really is no pipeline? and second just what the Twin fans need, another reason to tune out, watching a bunch of relief pitchers trying to win games is not entertaining.

Pipelines always leak. Dakota Access and Twins Baseball are not far apart.

[David Maro]

Down 12-3 let's get all excited about a solo homerun. This is the real Twins team and fan base. 

[Vanimal46]

This needs to be the end of the road for Alcala. No team in their right mind will claim him if he’s DFA’d today. 

[Aggies7]

1 hour ago, PatG said:

A little perspective...

I believe we are seeing the beginning of the institutionalized "piggy-back" starter.

Our Twins starters are coming up through minors on a pitch count (several current minor league examples) and then expected to complete 6-7-8 innings....just doesn't happen.

I say: Tell SWR you have 4 innings, give it your all; you ain't going past 4.....Then take our next "piggy-back" starter (Festa, etc); you got the next 4...

I would institute that right now!!  It is happening anyway; how many times have the relievers picked it up in 5th or even 4th....

Examples: L Varland, you don't go 5-6 innings, you go one! (great results, just setting expectations).  It is a wonder that Ober has lasted this long with his minor-league upbringing.

Maybe this ought to change

[Patzky]

42 minutes ago, David Maro said:

Down 12-3 let's get all excited about a solo homerun. This is the real Twins team and fan base. 

Please tell me the HR helmet stayed put.

[strumdatjag]

SWR should move to the bullpen, and DFA Alcala.   Louis Varland and Cole Sands are two former starters who have moved there.   

[chpettit19]

1 hour ago, Patzky said:

Yes the hitting part. Larnach twice came up with a chance to do real timely impactful damage. Then the hot came much later. Wallner HRs in the last two games we have lost by ten runs. Some people trying to do too much or crack under pressure.. it was good to see Royce come up big when the game was still in question. Nut Larnach and Jeffers and Correa can all drop in the order at this point.

Larnach is hitting .278 with runners in scoring position this year. Jeffers .283. Correa .255. Maybe it's not smart to make decisions based on emotions from one game?

1 hour ago, Doctor Gast said:

Given that & it was his 1st outing back. I'd have had SWR on a very short leash. He had 3 good innings, then things started to go wrong. With the guys we have on hand, we desperately need long RPs.

We need more clutch hitting from some of these guys. 

The Twins are 4th in baseball in batting average with runners in scoring position. 4th. I don't know how many times they have to say it on broadcasts or how many times it has to be said on these boards. The Twins problem is getting enough guys in scoring position. They're now 22nd in baseball in PAs with runners in scoring position. But once they get them there they're actually very good at driving them in.

[LambchoP]

Embarrassing loss. First off, Alcala needs to go. Backing up the wrong side of home plate? Guy seems like a head case and his era is approaching 10. Try to pass him through waivers or trade for a minor league pitcher. Maybe we get something for him, maybe he clears waivers and we stash him in the minors. Either way, his roster spot has to go to someone else, most likely Adams. We need a guy in the pen who can go multiple innings and cover for the short starts we're going to be seeing. That stat line said it all last night, SWR is dead last in avg innings pitched for starters. He needs to get deeper in games, or be moved to the pen as a bulk guy. Either way our SP has kept the team competitive so far. Unless Sim and Festa improve quickly, I think we're going to drop in the standings real quick. Hell, if you look at the numbers, Jonah Bride has been a better pitcher and more efficient than Alcala lol!

[Patzky]

19 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

Larnach is hitting .278 with runners in scoring position this year. Jeffers .283. Correa .255. Maybe it's not smart to make decisions based on emotions from one game?

The Twins are 4th in baseball in batting average with runners in scoring position. 4th. I don't know how many times they have to say it on broadcasts or how many times it has to be said on these boards. The Twins problem is getting enough guys in scoring position. They're now 22nd in baseball in PAs with runners in scoring position. But once they get them there they're actually very good at driving them in.

They sort of did well in the last Jays game. You could watch any team and go away with the same memory that someone didn't get a timely hit. Yes there was precious little traffic last night. First inning could have set an entirely different table for the game, but for..

[LA Vikes Fan]

44 minutes ago, strumdatjag said:

SWR should move to the bullpen, and DFA Alcala.   Louis Varland and Cole Sands are two former starters who have moved there.   

Alcala threw 40 pitches last night and was taken out with 2 outs in the 8th inning of a blowout game. Given that usage and the way he was taken out you gotta think the Twins might say he has a sore shoulder and put him on IL. Hell, he probably does have a sore shoulder after last night. Probably a sore neck too from line drive whiplash.

What do you do with SWR? I would say he's bullpen material for now, replacing Alcala, but then you have a "long man" who just pitched when Festa is starting and we may need a long man. I say Alcala to the IL, SWR down, and one spot is taken by Adams who can come back without waiting 15 days because of Alcala's IL placement. Maybe you elevate one more pitcher (Dobnak or McCaghan? Maybe Morris or Lawyerson?) until the Sunday start. Who's then up to start Sunday against Houston in Houston? I say Morris but it's all a true crapshoot now.   

[Western SD Fan]

I believe the IL stint idea was killed in the last CBA negotiations when they also limited the number of times that a pitcher could be sent up and sent down to AAA.  This is the exact situation that the PA would file a grievance if suddenly Alcala lands on the IL without showing some reasonable inference that Alcala is actually injured.  Alcala will have a right to be released and choose free agency if he is DFA'd.  I also believe he will be picked up by another team.  That team may be the Rockies, Angels, White Sox, or Marlins, but another team.

As with SWR, I believe we are stuck with him for at least another start or two as likely need to see what he can actually deliver, if anything.  Festa had a recent worse start than SWR, albeit in a worse situation, but we are not screaming that Festa has to be replaced right now.  Another reason I say we are likely stuck with SWR is that we still don't know what kind of a team we have right now.  We don't know what SP we may be available to trade for, if any that we can afford with prospects or salary.  Finally, we need to look at pitchers in AAA on the 40-man.  Adams, who was just sent down, I believe cannot come back for 15 days unless someone goes on the IL.  Raya is pitching today trying to lower his 10.46 ERA in St. Paul, so I don't see him as a ready option.  Funderburk is the last man on the 40-man, and we have already seen what he can do.  I just don't see any logical options right now in replacing SWR.

[Patzky]

3 hours ago, LA VIkes Fan said:

Alcala threw 40 pitches last night and was taken out with 2 outs in the 8th inning of a blowout game. Given that usage and the way he was taken out you gotta think the Twins might say he has a sore shoulder and put him on IL. Hell, he probably does have a sore shoulder after last night. Probably a sore neck too from line drive whiplash.

What do you do with SWR? I would say he's bullpen material for now, replacing Alcala, but then you have a "long man" who just pitched when Festa is starting and we may need a long man. I say Alcala to the IL, SWR down, and one spot is taken by Adams who can come back without waiting 15 days because of Alcala's IL placement. Maybe you elevate one more pitcher (Dobnak or McCaghan? Maybe Morris or Lawyerson?) until the Sunday start. Who's then up to start Sunday against Houston in Houston? I say Morris but it's all a true crapshoot now.   

Would be awesome.. expect Adams would be unavailable after pitching four innings last night. 

[Larry Janisewski]

Even more embarrassing is that the bottom 4 batters in the Rangers batting order drove in 14 of the runs.

[Western SD Fan]

Update:  The Twins didn't use Adams when he was up with the ML club.  But don't worry, they just picked up a more experienced Adams off of waivers from the Pirates.  They transferred Pablo Lopez to the 60-Day IL for the 40-man spot.  The 26-man position won't be addressed until tomorrow but will be interesting.  Does SWR get sent back down and they run a bullpen game or use him as a bulk pitcher with an opener?  Do they finally pull the plug on the Alcala experience and DFA him?  Topa still has options left and, while probably not deserving, has to be considered at this point considering how much they have protected Alcala up to this point.

Twins claim lefty reliever, a former first-round pick, off waivers

Edited June 11, 2025 by Western SD Fan
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[Blyleven2011]

9 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

This needs to be the end of the road for Alcala. No team in their right mind will claim him if he’s DFA’d today. 

Even if some did claim him , at this point in his twins career it wouldn't be a great loss , he's been awful  since that Texas melt down last year ...

He's had a few low leverage outings he's done good , but it's just not enough to keep him pitching for the mlb club  ...

If no one claims him he can be a free agent I believe or he can go play for the saints and work things out ...

[Doctor Gast]

18 hours ago, chpettit19 said:

The Twins are 4th in baseball in batting average with runners in scoring position. 4th. I don't know how many times they have to say it on broadcasts or how many times it has to be said on these boards. The Twins problem is getting enough guys in scoring position. They're now 22nd in baseball in PAs with runners in scoring position. But once they get them there they're actually very good at driving them in.

Forgive me for not being specific. My hope was that the reader would take what I texted in context. (I know that's asking a lot for some people). The context wasn't the Twins, it was about Wallner hitting a HR when you don't need one & getting an out when you do. Wallner's BA late & close games .000, high-leverage .111, medium leverage .132, low leverage .357. 

I agree that a Twins' problem is having hitters who can get on base that can take & or steal an extra base, thus having them in scoring position. But what can you do when almost everybody in the lineup aren't able to do that?

[chpettit19]

1 hour ago, Doctor Gast said:

Forgive me for not being specific. My hope was that the reader would take what I texted in context. (I know that's asking a lot for some people). The context wasn't the Twins, it was about Wallner hitting a HR when you don't need one & getting an out when you do. Wallner's BA late & close games .000, high-leverage .111, medium leverage .132, low leverage .357. 

I agree that a Twins' problem is having hitters who can get on base that can take & or steal an extra base, thus having them in scoring position. But what can you do when almost everybody in the lineup aren't able to do that?

Where is that context provided in a 16-4 game and your statement of "we need more clutch hitting from some of these guys?" If you meant Wallner, say Wallner. If you had the numbers and context say the numbers and context. There was no late and close situation in this game to draw that context from. The Twins got blown out in this game but you wanted us to pull out "the context" from your 1 sentence that you are talking specifically about Matt Wallner? Why didn't you just say Matt Wallner?

And how about you provide the context of Wallner having a whopping 7 ABs in late and close situations. And a .300 OBP in those situations with a .333 OBP in high leverage situations. But that's in only 12 PAs and 9 ABs. That's the very definition of small sample size. Oh, and the Twins scored those runs that you're upset with Wallner for not driving in. So my response is the same. The Twins hit well with runners in scoring position. It's a team game. It's a game of failure for hitters. You need the guy after you to pick you up often. The Twins were successful that inning.